Tehran - Iran has been awarded the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award 2024 in recognition of its leadership in soil conservation, education, and public awareness, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced.

 

Farukh Toirov, FAO Representative in Iran, highlighted the country’s active role in the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) since its establishment in 2012, noting Iran’s contributions to sustainable soil management, capacity building, and knowledge sharing.

 

Despite being administratively under FAO’s Asia-Pacific office, Iran participates in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) Soil Partnership due to regional soil similarities.

 

Key initiatives include Iran’s 2024 participation in the Soil Doctors Program and the Rehabilitation of Forest Landscapes and Degraded Lands (RFLDL) project, which restores degraded and saline soils, combats wind erosion, and strengthens local communities’ resource management skills. Iran is also part of FAO’s upcoming 2025–2027 regional program promoting sustainable, climate-resilient, and nutrient-rich crop production.

 

FAO noted that Iran’s World Soil Day 2023 programs engaged over 11 million people across 3,300 events, and the country currently chairs the NENA Soil Laboratory Network (NENALAB) for 2024–2025, demonstrating regional trust in its expertise.

 

Toirov emphasized that FAO will continue supporting Iran in policies and initiatives promoting sustainable soil management, including conservation agriculture, organic farming, no-till cultivation, and agroforestry, strengthening long-term soil health and agricultural productivity in the region.